Pakistan to repatriate nearly 2,000 stranded citizens by next week

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning Mooed Yusuf on Friday said that that the government will be bringing back as many as 2,000 stranded Pakistanis beginning this week.

"This week laid off labor in Gulf; released prisoners; zaireen; and some on time bound visas and stuck in hotels, including many on government expense will be returning," he said.

"We will continue bringing back stranded Pakistanis during the next week, with approximately 2,000 passengers to return during this period," he added.

Yusuf said that beginning this week, "multiple airports will begin operating for incoming traffic".

Several Pakistanis were left stuck in different parts of the world as the country closed its airspace for international flights in early April. A day earlier, the closure was extended to April 21.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had also said that it will expand its relief flight operations in a bid to repatriate stranded Pakistanis around the world.

The PM's aide on national security also said stranded passengers were being prioritised among those being brought back and the volume of passengers was being decided after taking into account "our capacity to test and quarantine incoming passengers to ensure the public's safety".

"All passengers will be tested and quarantined for 7 days by govt and then will have to observe 7 day self quarantine," he said.

Yusuf also mentioned that the country's land borders will remain closed, "with the exception of controlled truck traffic one way to fulfill provision of essential food and medicines to Afghanistan".

He termed the decision "a gesture of brotherhood and humanitarian aid" made after a request received by the Aghan government.

"We have already successfully repatriated Afghan citizens who went across from Torkham and Chaman by foot this week."

"Again, this was a one time exception in response to Afghan government's request," he added.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced several countries across the globe to close their borders and airspace to curb the spread of this diseases and Pakistan is no exception.

So far, the country has recorded a total of 4,792 confirmed coronavirus cases with 1,214 in Sindh, 2,336 in Punjab, 656 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 220 in Balochistan, 118 Islamabad , 215 Gilgit-Baltistan, and 33 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Furthermore, the country has reported 71 deaths from the pandemic with 25 in KP, 22 in Sindh, 18 in Punjab, two in Balochistan, three in GB, one in Islamabad, and none in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.